1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dispensing devices, and more particularly, to a dispenser that includes a scoop and a funnel-shaped cover to facilitate the transferring of metered amounts of a substance (i.e., a fluid or a particulate) to a container having a small mouth.
2. Background of the Related Art
Newborn babies are often fed, at least partly, by using powdered milk products. In making the milk, the amount of powder used in the formula must be carefully measured and transferred to a container to be mixed with water. Since powdered milk products often do not contain preservatives and spoil within 48 hours, they are usually mixed in single serving portions. As a result, parents typically mix the formula directly in the baby bottle. However, baby bottles typically have a very small mouth, making it difficult to transfer the carefully-measured powder to the bottle without spilling a potion of the powder.
Many nutritional and fitness supplements are also sold in powdered form. Like powdered milk, these supplements are mixed with water or other liquids to obtain a desired end-product. Typically, a single serving mixture is created to eliminate the need to store or carry large quantities of liquid. For example, a hiker can easily carry a one weeks supply of a supplement or energy drink in powdered form, but could not reasonably carry the equivalent amount of the supplement in liquid form. Consequently, the hiker will normally carry a small bottle for use in mixing individual servings of the supplement. Like traditional baby bottles, a hiker's bottle has a small mouth making it difficult to measure and transfer the powdered supplement without spillage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,745 to Reay et al. discloses a prior dispenser for powdered baby milk. The Reay et al. dispenser includes a handle, a scoop having an open mouth for receiving the powdered milk and a leveling mechanism for ensuring an accurate quantity of powder is obtained. Prior dispensers, like that disclosed in Reay et al., are well-suited for quickly scooping a desired amount of powder, but they are poorly-suited for delivering the powder to the mixing container or bottle without spillage. The Reay et al. dispenser, and others like it, have a scoop with a wide or large diameter mouth. The mouth typically has a diameter equivalent to that of the cylindrical scoop body so that air pockets are not formed in the scooped powder preventing accurate measurement. As a consequence of the wide mouths on prior scoops, spillage occurs when attempting to transfer the powder to a baby bottle or small-mouthed container, thereby defeating the user's careful measurement of the powder that took place prior to the transfer.
As noted above, a common problem associated with prior dispensers for use with powdered products is the ability to transfer the measured product to the mixing receptacle without spilling the product. Still further, prior devices are difficult to clean and not easily manufactured. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,523 to Cheng et al. discloses a scoop that includes a counter to assist in remembering the number of scoops that have been put into the bottle. Although the counting device has utility, the utility is thwarted due to the spillage that occurs when transferring the product to the container or bottle. Still further, the disclosed counting mechanism adds significantly to the cost of the dispenser and complicates cleaning the device.
Therefore, there is a need for a dispenser capable of easily and quickly supplying metered amounts of a substance to a container having a small mouth without spillage. Still further, there is a need for a dispenser that in addition to eliminating spillage, is cheap to manufacture and easy to clean for reuse.